Gain-line graphs via G-phases and group representations.

Let G be an arbitrary group. We define a gain-line graph for a gain graph (Γ , ψ) through the choice of an incidence G -phase matrix inducing ψ. We prove that the switching equivalence class of the gain function on the line graph L (Γ) does not change if one chooses a different G -phase inducing ψ or a different representative of the switching equivalence class of ψ. In this way, we generalize to any group some results proven by N. Reff in the abelian case. The investigation of the orbits of some natural actions of G on the set H Γ of G -phases of Γ allows us to characterize gain functions on Γ, gain functions on L (Γ) , their switching equivalence classes and their balance property. The use of group algebra valued matrices plays a fundamental role and, together with the matrix Fourier transform, allows us to represent a gain graph with Hermitian matrices and to perform spectral computations. Our spectral results also provide some necessary conditions for a gain graph to be a gain-line graph. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]